Gas laser tube design

Abstract

An extruded aluminum gas laser tube assembly (10) has a pair of extruded, elongated, electrically insulated, aluminum electrodes (23,24) adapted to couple to an external RF supply and supported in the laser tube in predetermined spaced-apart relationship relative to each other and to the laser tube (11). The electrode supporting structure is eight pairs of matching, longitudinal, machined grooves (12,21), four pairs at each end of the tube (11) and electrodes (23,24) in each of which pairs is received a cylindrical, insulated, anodized aluminum spacer pin (22) which slidably supports the electrodes in the tube and allows longitudinal expansion of the electrodes relative to the tube substantially without bending.

We claim: 
     
       1. In a gas laser having a gas containment structure,   a pair of electrically insulated electrodes mounted in the gas containment structure forming a gas discharge area,   a laser gas mixture sealed in the gas containment structure,   an RF feed terminal coupled to at least one electrode and adapted to couple to a source of RF excitation, and   an arrangement of reflective optical elements aligned with the discharge area for producing directional optical energy,   wherein the improvement comprises: a plurality of pairs of matching, longitudinal grooves in the gas containment structure and each electrode, and   an insulated spacer received in each pair of matching grooves for supporting the electrodes in a predetermined, insulated, spaced-apart relationship relative to each other and to the gas containment structure,   whereby the electrodes may uniformly expand relative to the gas containment structure.     
     
     
       2. The gas laser of claim 1 wherein the electrodes are machined. 
     
     
       3. The gas laser of claim 1 wherein the gas containment structure and electrodes are extruded. 
     
     
       4. The gas laser of claim 1 wherein the plural number of pairs is eight, four each at each end of the gas containment structure and electrodes. 
     
     
       5. The gas laser of claim 1 wherein the pair of matching grooves further comprises; an elongated recess in the end of the gas containment structure, and   an elongated recess in the end of the electrode adjacent the corresponding recess in the end of the gas containment structure when the electrode is assembled within the gas containment structure.   
     
     
       6. The gas laser of claim 1 wherein the spacer is a pin. 
     
     
       7. The gas laser of claim 6 wherein the pin is cylindrical. 
     
     
       8. The gas laser of claim 7 wherein the pin is made from anodized aluminum. 
     
     
       9. The gas laser of claim 1 wherein the electrodes expand slidingly. 
     
     
       10. The gas laser of claim 1 wherein the electrodes expand longitudinally relative to a longitudinal axis of the gas containment structure. 
     
     
       11. The gas laser of claim 1 wherein the electrodes expand substantially without torsion. 
     
     
       12. The gas laser of claim 1 wherein the electrodes and gas containment structure expand substantially without any bending. 
     
     
       13. In a gas laser process including the steps of: containing a gas in a structure,   forming a gas discharge area by supporting a pair of electrically insulated electrodes in the gas containment structure,   sealing a laser gas mixture in the gas containment structure,   coupling an RF feed terminal to at least one electrode and adapted to couple to a source of RF excitation,   and forming a laser resonator aligned with the discharge area for producing directional optical energy,   wherein the improvement comprises the steps of forming a plurality of pairs of matching, longitudinal grooves in the gas containment structure and each electrode, and   receiving an insulated spacer in each pair of matching grooves for supporting the electrodes in a predetermined, insulated, spaced-apart relationship relative to each other and to the gas containment structure,   whereby the electrodes may slidingly expand longitudinally relative to a longitudinal axis of the gas containment structure substantially without any bending.